Commissioning definition
An implementation engagement is considered commissioned when the client accepts Trentinian’s written proposal or issues an equivalent written purchase order or confirmation.
TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT
Software Direction Review
Start with clarity before committing to change
Overview
Start with clarity before committing to change
Most substantial software engagements should begin with a Software Direction Review.
Before building, modernising, stabilising or extending a system, it is usually worth taking a short, focused step back to establish what the organisation is trying to achieve, what needs to be examined and what the most sensible path forward looks like.
A Software Direction Review is the engagement Trentinian uses to do exactly that.
It is a structured, evidence-based review that turns an initial situation into a clear scope, a focused technical assessment and a set of practical conclusions the organisation can act on.
A standard Software Direction Review typically runs over one to two weeks and concludes with a dedicated half-day Findings Workshop.
In most cases, it is the right first engagement because it reduces uncertainty before larger delivery decisions are made.
Fixed-price review
One focused assessment, one clear price
€2.250
excl. VAT
Scope
One software product with an agreed, focused assessment scope.
Typical duration
Approximately 1–2 weeks from Discovery to the Findings Workshop.
Findings Workshop
One dedicated half-day session.
Follow-on credit
€750
Credited if implementation work is formally commissioned within 30 calendar days after the workshop.
Reviews involving multiple applications, unusually broad scope or substantial additional complexity are scoped and priced separately before work begins.
What it is
A defined engagement with three phases
A Software Direction Review is not an open-ended consulting exercise and it is not merely a technical report.
Each phase has a specific purpose.
Together, they move from business context and questions, to evidence and conclusions, to a shared understanding of what should happen next.
Adaptable focus
A review shaped by the situation
The structure of the engagement remains the same, but the assessment itself is adapted to the situation.
For an existing application, the review may focus on health, maintainability, risk, architecture, technical debt, data integrity, delivery practices or modernisation options.
For a new software initiative, the review may focus on technical direction, feasibility, assumptions, delivery readiness, architecture, integration requirements, risks and realistic sequencing.
For other situations, such as a prototype-to-production transition, a stabilisation effort or a development effectiveness concern, the same method is applied with a different assessment focus.
The important point is that the review is not driven by a fixed checklist. It is driven by the objectives of the engagement.
Output
Deliverables
The deliverables are agreed during Discovery and depend on the purpose of the review.
They may include an assessment summary, a risk assessment, a technical roadmap, architectural recommendations, a prioritised improvement plan, recommended engineering practices, a decision framework, or a set of immediate and longer-term actions.
What matters is not the format alone, but the usefulness of the output. The review should leave the client with material that supports a real decision and a practical next step.
Principle
Evidence before opinion
The Software Direction Review is built around objectively verifiable evidence.
The aim is not to rely on assumptions, preferences or generic best-practice advice detached from context. The aim is to establish what can actually be demonstrated about the application, the technical situation or the proposed direction, and to use that evidence to support conclusions.
This is the core logic of the engagement:
Evidence → conclusions → action
Next steps
What happens after the review?
The Software Direction Review is a complete engagement in its own right. It gives the client a structured basis for deciding what to do next, but it does not oblige them to proceed into implementation with Trentinian. After the review, the organisation may decide to move ahead immediately, postpone the work, narrow the scope, change direction or take no further action for the time being. In many cases, Trentinian may continue into implementation or follow-on engineering work, but the review is intentionally designed so that it has value regardless of who carries the next stage forward.
Commercial terms and scope
What is included and how pricing works
€2.250
excl. VAT
Fixed price for one software product and an agreed, focused assessment scope.
Follow-on credit
€750
Credited when you formally commission a follow-on Trentinian implementation engagement within 30 calendar days after the Findings Workshop.
Scope exceptions
Engagements involving multiple applications, unusually broad assessment requirements or substantial additional complexity are scoped and priced separately before work begins.
Start a conversation
Tell us about your project.
Whether you are considering custom software that previously seemed too expensive, taking a prototype toward production, or trying to understand and maintain an existing application, the first step is a short conversation about the problem and whether Trentinian’s engineering model is a good fit.